Nihonbashi

Nihonbashi, literally meaning “Japan Bridge”, is a city district of Tokyo, just north of Ginza. The bridge, after which the district is named, has been the mile zero marker for Japan’s national highway network since the early Edo Period.
Formerly a wooden bridge, the Nihonbashi was reconstructed in stone during the Meiji Period, and covered by an express way in the 1960s. You can cross a partial 1:1 replica of the original wooden bridge in the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku.
As the “center of Japan”, the Nihonbashi district has enjoyed much commercial prosperity over the centuries. In the 1600s, the Mitsui family chose it as the site for their Edo branch of Echigoya, a highly successful wholesale business and predecessor of Japan’s first Western style department store, the still existing Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi.
Continuing the tradition, Coredo Nihonbashi, a stylish shopping complex, topped by several floors of office space, was opened in March 2004 in the very heart of Nihonbashi, giving the district fresh momentum. On five floors, Coredo Nihonbashi features shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as a supermarket in the basement.- Japan-guide.com